Navy League, Other Military and Industry Groups Urge Passage of NDAA

ARINGTON, Va. — The Navy League of the United States and six other military and industry organizations have sent a letter to Senate and House leaders urging the passage of the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in this congressional session, noting that “Congress has passed 51 consecutive annual NDAAs, an accomplishment that must continue.”

Other signatories on the Dec. 11 letter are the Aerospace Industries Association, the Air Force Association, the Association of the United States Army, the National Defense Industrial Association, the National Guard Association of the United States and the Shipbuilders Council of America.

“The NDAA has a uniquely long and bipartisan history owing to your strong commitment to our men and women in uniform. We commend the Congress for a year of important debates on major policy issues, and we further commend the House and Senate Armed Services Committees for producing a bill that can pass both the House and Senate. All sides have made an extraordinary effort to produce this critical NDAA conference report. We support this legislation and urge its expeditious passage,” the letter said. It was sent to Rep. John Boehner, speaker of the House; Rep. Nancy Pelosi, House minority leader; Sen. Harry Reid, Senate majority leader, and Sen. Mitch McConnell, Senate minority leader.

“Several provisions of the new bill are particularly important to our troops,” the organizations said. “The NDAA authorizes $552.1 billion in the base budget and an additional $80.7 billion for contingency operations. It authorizes a pay increase for the troops and funds readiness for our combat forces through Army and Air Force flying hour programs, Army operations, vehicle maintenance, critical spare parts, and stabilized fuel rates. It authorizes the modernization and procurement of weapons systems vital to the safety and effectiveness of our troops in combat.”

The Navy League of the United States is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to informing the American people and their government that the United States is a maritime nation, and that its national defense and economic wellbeing are dependent upon strong sea services — U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and U.S.-flag Merchant Marine.